Sequential mode and manual mode speed controller for video games

Abstract

The invention relates to a speed controller, in particular for video games, capable of operating according to a sequential mode and a manual mode comprising: a support casing ( 1 ), a lever ( 2 ) hingeably mounted on said support casing and capable of pivoting from a neutral position, in a longitudinal direction around a transversal axis and in a transversal direction around a longitudinal axis, and detection means for detecting, in the manual mode, at least two different positions of the lever obtained by the pivoting thereof in at least the longitudinal direction from the neutral position and, in the sequential mode, at least two different positions of the lever, characterized in that the detection means are capable of detecting, in the sequential mode, at least two different positions of the lever obtained by the pivoting thereof in the transversal direction from the neutral position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A speed controller, in particular for video games, capable of operate according to at least a sequential mode and a manual mode comprising:
 a support casing ( 1 ), 
 a lever ( 2 ) hingeably mounted on said support casing and capable of pivoting, from a neutral position (N), around a first axis (Y) and around a second axis (X), the second axis (X) being substantially right angled with respect to the first axis (Y), and 
 detection means ( 4 ) capable of detecting, in the manual mode, at least two different positions (M 1 -M 8 ) of the speed controller lever obtained by pivoting the speed controller lever around at least said first axis (Y) from the neutral position in a manual mode shifting direction in which the speed controller lever moves substantially at right angle to a manual mode neutral row, and, 
 said detection means ( 4 ) being capable of detecting, in the sequential mode, at least two different positions (S 1 , S 2 ) of the speed controller lever, 
 characterized in that the detection means ( 4 ) are capable of detecting, in the sequential mode, at least two different positions of the speed controller lever obtained by pivoting the speed controller lever around said second axis (X) in a sequential mode shifting direction from the neutral position, in such a way that, in said sequential mode shifting direction, the speed controller lever moves substantially along said manual mode neutral row. 
 
     
     
       2. The speed controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a first gate ( 5 ) mounted or capable of being mounted on said support casing,
 said first gate comprising, for the passage of the speed controller lever, a first slot ( 51 ) and at least two slots ( 52 ), each of the slots ( 52 ) being substantially right angled with respect to the first slot ( 51 ) and opening into said first slot, 
 said first slot ( 51 ) being positioned and sized to guide the speed controller lever between the neutral position and said at least two different positions (S 1 , S 2 ) of the sequential mode and said slots ( 52 ) being positioned and sized to guide the speed controller lever between the first slot and said at least two positions (M 1 -M 8 ) of the manual mode. 
 
     
     
       3. The speed controller according to  claim 2 , characterized in that it further comprises a second removable gate ( 6 ) capable of being mounted on the support casing or, alternatively, on said first gate,
 said second gate ( 6 ) comprising a slot ( 61 ) for the passage of the speed controller lever, 
 the slot ( 61 ) of said second gate being sized such that, the speed controller lever having in the sequential mode two different positions arranged on either side of the neutral position, said two different positions are reached by moving the speed controller lever in the sequential mode shifting direction towards the ends of said slot ( 61 ). 
 
     
     
       4. The speed controller according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the length of the slot ( 61 ) of the second gate is lower than the length of the first slot ( 51 ) of the first gate, said two different positions of the sequential mode being reached when the speed controller lever abuts against the ends of the slot ( 61 ) of the second gate. 
     
     
       5. The speed controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the support casing comprises:
 a stationary set ( 11 ) to be fixedly mounted on a support such as a table, and 
 a movable set ( 12 ) on which said speed controller lever ( 2 ) is hingeably mounted, 
 said movable set ( 12 ) being movable in rotation on said stationary set around a rotational axis (Z) substantially perpendicular to said first axis (Y) and said second axis (X). 
 
     
     
       6. The speed controller according to  claim 5 , characterized in that said stationary set ( 11 ) comprises a support plate ( 111 ) provided with a substantially circular opening ( 112 ) through which said movable set is mounted movable in rotation. 
     
     
       7. The speed controller according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said movable set comprises:
 a rim ( 120 ) movable in rotation around said rotational axis (Z) in the opening ( 112 ) of the support plate, the inner passage of said rim being traversed by the speed controller lever, and 
 a support frame ( 121 ), fixed to the lower wall of said rim, the speed controller lever being pivotally hinged around said first axis and said second axis via articulation means ( 3 ). 
 
     
     
       8. The speed controller according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the support frame ( 121 ) is U shaped and comprises a base ( 124 ) and two parallel lateral branches ( 125 ) extending from said base and in that said articulation means ( 3 ) are mounted between the lateral branches of the support frame. 
     
     
       9. The speed controller according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the first gate ( 5 ) is mounted on the upper wall of a rim. 
     
     
       10. The speed controller according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the support casing ( 1 ) comprises means ( 13 ) for rotationally locking said movable set with respect to the stationary set. 
     
     
       11. The speed controller according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the rotationally locking means ( 13 ) are capable of locking said movable set ( 12 ) in at least a manual position and a sequential position angularly shifted by 90° from each other. 
     
     
       12. The speed controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said detection means ( 4 ) comprise a Hall-effect sensor ( 41 ) associated to a magnet, said Hall-effect sensor ( 41 ) being mounted on a member among the lower free end of the speed controller lever and the support casing, said magnet being mounted facing said Hall-effect sensor on the other of the lower free end of the speed controller and the support casing. 
     
     
       13. The speed controller according to  claim 5 , characterized in that a Hall-effect sensor ( 41 ) is mounted on the movable set ( 12 ) and a magnet ( 42 ) is mounted facing said Hall-effect sensor on the lower end of the speed controller lever. 
     
     
       14. The speed controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said support casing comprises fixing means ( 14 ), of U-bolt type or clamp type for example, for fixing said support casing to a piece of furniture such as a table or a desk.